A peek at the official 2009 Inaugural Ball sites

CaptionThe National Building Museum and the Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball

Courtesy of destinationdc.com

National Building Museum Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball George W. Bush pioneered this inaugural event in 2005, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and Barack Obama will continue the tradition of honoring active-duty and reserve military. Spouses of deployed troops,...

National Building Museum Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball George W. Bush pioneered this inaugural event in 2005, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and Barack Obama will continue the tradition of honoring active-duty and reserve military. Spouses of deployed troops,... (Courtesy of destinationdc.com)

CaptionThe National Building Museum and the Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball

Courtesy of destinationdc.com

National Building Museum This is one of those great Washington buildings you never heard of -- unless you've been paying attention. It's the place where in June Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton told supporters that she was suspending her presidential campaign and supporting Barack Obama for the...

National Building Museum This is one of those great Washington buildings you never heard of -- unless you've been paying attention. It's the place where in June Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton told supporters that she was suspending her presidential campaign and supporting Barack Obama for the... (Courtesy of destinationdc.com)

CaptionThe National Building Museum and the Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball

F. Harlan Hambright

National Building Museum The building was declared a national treasure in 1978 and the museum opened in 1980. The frieze on the outside of the building depicts an endless row of Civil War troops -- 1,200 feet long and 3 feet high.

National Building Museum The building was declared a national treasure in 1978 and the museum opened in 1980. The frieze on the outside of the building depicts an endless row of Civil War troops -- 1,200 feet long and 3 feet high. (F. Harlan Hambright)

National Building Museum The museum is running Inaugural Ball Tours -- including photos of past balls from Grover Cleveland to George W. Bush -- at 2 p.m. Thursday through Sunday in January (except the 18th) and 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 2 p.m. in February and March. The tours are free....

Union Station, Washington, D.C. Eastern Inaugural Ball: This ball is for folks from Eastern states, which doesn't include New York but does include Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $150 by invitation only. Yes, it's a train station but a grand one that was completed in 1908....

Union Station, Washington, D.C. Eastern Inaugural Ball: This ball is for folks from Eastern states, which doesn't include New York but does include Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $150 by invitation only. Yes, it's a train station but a grand one that was completed in 1908.... (Courtesy: destinationdc.com)